Our numbers are dwindling. Our words are confused. Some of them have been twisted by the enemyuntil they can no longer be recognized.

Now what is wrong, or false, in what we have said?Just some parts, or everything?On whom can we still rely? Are we survivors, cast away by the current? Will we be left behind,no longer understanding anyone and being understood by no one?Must we rely on luck?

I love the 'The President has left the Elysée' routine the French media perform on election night. What's the added value of some motorbike-riding camera risking his life trying to film the tainted windows of Sarko's car?

Hollande was "elected" based on a 4 point spread in an exit poll? If so, all I can say is no one would so call an election based on that in the US.

European exit polls tend to be a lot more on the mark than their American counterparts. I suspect it's because turnout is a lot higher so there's little difference between "likely" and "registered voters" in France and other Europeans nations.

To all the naysayers: Hollande isn't in office yet. We have to see how he will govern and how effective he is.

There's also the issue of much of the country actually being counted already, just not formally collated.

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Hollande was "elected" based on a 4 point spread in an exit poll? If so, all I can say is no one would so call an election based on that in the US.

France has 7 exit pollsters, they cannot be all wrong.

The exit polls actually vary from 52 to 53.5% for Hollande.

OK. I would still be a tad leery myself. How does the registered versus likely voters thing affect exit polls, which presumably are of "already voted" voters? And do they have any vote by mail? I am not saying Hollande has not won, but what I am saying, is that anything less than about 54%, and you need to wait for some raw votes in the US. I think Gore was ahead by at least 6% in the Florida exit poll. So the networks rushed to call it, and the rest is history.

I love the 'The President has left the Elysée' routine the French media perform on election night. What's the added value of some motorbike-riding camera risking his life trying to film the tainted windows of Sarko's car?

It's a 1995 France2 pattern, and then it took all other TVs, ah well...

Everybody find it stupid but everybody would be surprised it doesn't happen I guess ^^

Does it really matter who runs France? I mean, isn't the international economic/debt leash on it so tight now, that the government's only big decision is what color of pencils to use? Just asking.

Hollande appears to be more in favor of expansionary policies at the expense to Debt/GDP, but still wants to run a surplus by 2017. If he could pull it off, France, not Germany, would be the economic engine of Europe.

Between the two guys running today? Not really. Hollande has different bluster but in the end Merkel holds the whip over him same as his predecessor. If Le Pen or Melenchon however, then you'd have potential for something (good or bad- up to you).

Does it really matter who runs France? I mean, isn't the international economic/debt leash on it so tight now, that the government's only big decision is what color of pencils to use? Just asking.

Nah. France (and Sarko) is fairly big, it'll shake the tiny pro-total-deluge bureaucratic minority that currently runs things. Though only, of course, up to a point - PS being a centrist social democratic party. This might prevent your type from self-destructing, but it won't shake your grip on power.

So if Hollande messes up what are the chances we see Sarkozy again in 2017? Or does that not happen in France?

Happens in France, but won't to that thing. Trust me on that. A Sarkozy that's proven his beatability might as well never have been born in terms of future electability. Not that that ends his type of politics, of course. Not in the slightest.

If I'm shown as having been active here recently it's either because I've been using the gallery, because I've been using the search engine looking up something from way back, or because I've been reading the most excellent UK by-elections thread again.